Display container



Jan. 13, 1942. H. J. FISCHER 2,269,715

- DISPLAY CONTAINER Fi led Sept. 25, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOATTORNEYS Jan. 13, 1942. FlsCHER 2,269,715

DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Sept. 25, 1937 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 INVENTO.R'

2 ATTORN EY5 Jan. 13, 1942. H. J. FISCHER DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Sept.-23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 R O T N E V r m 4 Y B m "I 6 v ILI N/ m a T NATTORN EYS Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATS PAT DISPLAY CONTAINERHoward J. Fischer, Middletown, Ohio, assignor to The Gardner-RichardsonCompany, Middletown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September23, 1937,Serial No. 165,363

7 Claims.

This invention relates to containers adapted both for shipping anddisplaying merchandise or the like.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a device adaptedto receive articles or merchandise for the shipping thereof in compactform, and which may be set up when received to attractively display sucharticles to the purchaser. I

It is a further object of the invention to pro- Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the" container in compact position and also showing the covertherefor.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the assembled box unitsjust above the base thereof, with the display member removed, and on alarger scale.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the separable display member.

Fig, 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the box units are formed.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank from which the cover portion is formed.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig.1.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 5 and shows a modified form of blankfor the container.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing another modiconstruction the device isadapted to receive and attractively display articles for sale, facing intwo directions at an angle to each other, each portion of the devicebeing complete with an article receiving portion and an upper portionextending thereabove and suitable for receiving printed advertisingmatter or the like. A person approaching a counter or the like on whichthe device is mounted from any direction is thus afforded an adequateview of the device and every opportunity is afforded for the viewing ofthe attractive display so thata maximum of sales effeet is attained. Inaddition, the device is easily constructed, may be blanked outof'suitable paperboard material, and shipped to the user in flat knockdown form. Likewise when assembled into container form, it maybecollapsed upon itself, forming a compact carrying carton adapted toreceive any desired articles, and also to receive an overlying coverportion making an enclosed carrying package.

- In the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention isshown for purposes of illustration, Fig. 1 shows a package having boxunits l0 and II, each adapted to receive articles or merchandise to bedisplayed for sales purposes and a display member l2 attached thereto.The display device or package of the present inventionis adapted to beopened to a display position in which the two box units It and II areswung awayfrom each other at an angle such as at right angl'es, and inwhich the display member 12 occupies a positionabove box units If] andH. When the package is adjusted to this position, it constitutes anattractive and attention-arrest- .ing type of display in which themerchandise with the merchandise, the Whole forming an effective sellingunit.

The box units I0 and H, which are connected with the display member l2as described above, are preferably formed to have similar size andshape. It is also preferred to hingedly attach boxunits Ill and H toeach other and with the hinge line so located that the folding movementsare accommodated. This is conveniently accomplished by forming both boxunits from a single blank. Such a blank is shown in Fig. 5, and isformed from suitable material, such as the paper board commonly used inbox making. The blank illustrated in Fig. 5 comprises rear wall portions20 and 21 positioned near the outer ends of the blank. Side wallportions 22 and 23 are located next inwardly from the parts 20 and 2|respectively and are separated therefrom by score lines 24 and 25. Thecorresponding inner corners of parts 22 and 23 are out off alon diagonallines 22 and 23' respectively. Inwardly of portions 22 and 23 andterminating at the inner ends of lines 22', 23 are front wall formingportions 26 and 21 separated from the side wall portions 22, 23 by scorelines 28 and 29. Portions 30 and 3| of the blank which serve to form theother side walls of the box units HI and II are located inwardly offront wall portions 26 and 21 and are directly adjacent each other,being separated by score lines 32 and 33 from parts 26, 21 and by scoreline 34 from each other. Corresponding parts extend to the same depth asparts 20, 2 I, and along diagonal lines 30', 3 I.

Bottom flaps, serving to form portions of the bottoms of the box units Iand H are attached to the various side portions of the blanks, and areseparated from the side portions by a continuous longitudinal score 36.These flaps comprise outer side wall flap portions 38 and 39 attached toportions 22 and 23 respectively, front wall flap portions 40 and 4|attached to front wall portions 26 and 21 respectively, and inner sidewall flap portions 42 and 43 attached to portions 30 and 3|respectively. These bottom flaps are separated from each other by aseries of transverse cuts 44, each cut extending inwardly from the blankedge to the longitudinal score 35. An adhesive coated strip 46 islocated outwardly of rear wall portion 20, and is separated therefrom byscore line 41,

and a similar adhesive strip 48 is located outwardly of rear wallportion 2| and is separated therefrom by score line 49.

In assembling the blank shown in Fig. to form the box units I9 and H,bottom portions 38 to 43 are all folded inwardly along line 35. Theseveral portions 20, 22, 26, and 39 of one are then each folded at rightangles to the adjacent portion, the bottom pieces 38, 40 and 42 allbeing turned inwardly in overlapping relation to thereby form anenclosed container having a bottom. The adhesive portion 46 is thenfolded in the opposite direction to the previous folds, and secured inplace on the inner side wall portion 3|, thereby retaining the boxmember In in assembled posi-- tion. By a corresponding forming operationon the remaining portions of the blank, the portions 2|, 23, 21 and 3|are each folded at right angles to each other along the respective scorelines, the bottom portions 39, 4| and 43 being folded inwardly to formthe bottom of the container portion I l. Adhesive portion 48 is foldedin the op posite direction to the previous folds just made, and securedto the exterior of portion 20, thereby completing the assembly of thecontainer portion of the device. When so assembled, and as best shown inFig. 3, the two box units l0 and l l are integrally joined and hinged toeach other along the rear edges of their inner side walls, hingingmovement taking place, with bending at center score 34, and also atscores 41 and 49 which separate the adhesive strips from the rear walls.Each box unit has a high rear wall, a low front wall and sloping sidewalls extending therebetween thereby providing a receiving compartmentfor articles and affording an effective display area therefor.

It is sometimes desirable to perform the adhesive securing operations,but to leave the blanks otherwise unassembled for the time being, thusproviding a flat form for ready shipment to the place of filling, andone which can be there set up by simple folding and tucking operations.In using a body portion blank such as shown in Fig. 5 in this way, theleft hand portion of the blank, for example, is folded along 28 andadhesive coated strip 46 attached to inner side wall portion 3 I. Thenthe right hand portion of the blank is folded along score 29, andadhesive strip 48 attached to rear wall portion 2|). It will be apparentthat the sequence of folding and attaching steps may be reversed. Whensubsequently it is desired to set up the device, the wall portions ofthe box portions are moved to assembled position, with folding takingplace along the several score lines, and the bottom flaps are thenfolded in, thus completing this portion of the assembly.

Display member |2 may now be attached to the box units. Display member2, preferably formed from a single blank, comprises a pair of legportions 50 and 5|, a display portion 52 ex tending beyond these legportions, and means for attaching the display member to the box units.As illustrated in Fig. 4, leg portions 50 and 5| are separated or spacedfrom each other by a cut away slot 53. These leg portions are adapted tobe received one within each of the box units, and gap or slot 53 is ofproper extent to receive the wall which separates the two box units atthe point of hinging, Leg portions 50 and 5| are preferably ofsubstantially the same extent as the rear walls and 2| of the two boxunits. The display portion 52 of display member I2 is separated from legportions and 5| by longitudinal score lines 55 and 5B. These scores 55and 58 lie substantially at and in alignment with the edges of rearwalls 2|) and 2|. Display portion 52 is divided transversely by a score58 which extends the full width thereof and is in alignment with slot53, and divides display portion 52 into two similarly shaped displaypanels 59 and 60. The alignment of score 58 with slot 53 serves also toalign it with the hinge line between the two box portions when thedisplay member 12 is assembled thereon as above described. This providesfor a hinging of the two display panels 59 and 6|] with respect to eachother when the box units I0 and H are moved.

Means are provided for attaching the display member to the box units,and in the form illustrated in Fig. 4, these means take the form offlaps 62 and 63 formed on the lower ends of leg portions 50 and 5|respectively and separated therefrom by score lines 64 and 65. Theseflaps have suitable locking means thereon, such as locking projections66. The display member is positioned upon the box units by sliding theportions 50, 5| downwardly over and on the inner side of rear walls 20,2| with flaps 62 and 63 extending beneath the folded bottom flaps sothat these flaps form a portion of the box unit bottoms. Theirprojections 66 are interlocked with slots 68 formed in front wall flaps40 and 4|, flaps 62 and 63 thus cooperating with the other bottom flapson the box unit blank to complete the formation of the box unit bottomsas clearly shown in Fig. 7.

The display package of the present invention is also adapted to be movedinto a compact shape by a simple series of operations. This compactshape is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which the assembled box units It) andl have been moved to a position abutting each other, and in which thedisplay member l2 has been so folded as to lie between the now adjacentbox units, thus forming a compact package for maximum convenience instorage and shipment. It is preferred to proportion the display portion52 so that the individual panels 59 and 60 will not be larger than thetwo rear walls 20 and 2| of the box units. By so proportioning theparts, the display member can be. completely concealed between these tworear panels. The positioning of scores 55 and 56 in substantialcoincidence with the edges of rear panels 29 and 2| provides for foldingthe display member 52 down upon these rear panels, and thus when theparts are swung to compact position, with the display panels hingingabout score 58, the entire display portion is concealed between the twobox units.

A cover member is provided for enclosing the box units and the displayportion when in their folded compacted position to provide a completeunitary package for shipment and storage. A blank for the formation ofone satisfactory type of cover member is shown in Fig. 6, in whichside-forming portions 10 are separated from each other by score linesTI, and have attached thereto flaps 12 provided with suitable lockingmeans for forming a cover. Adhesive strip 13 provides means forassembling the cover portion. In the form shown, one end of the coverportion is left open, so that it can be t'elescoped over the box units Iand H in protective relation thereto; additional closure means may beprovided if desired.

In operation, the two box units l0 and H are filled with merchandise,such as individual packages or articles for sale. It has been found thata very effective type of display is produced when the box units areformed with a rear wall height corresponding to the height of theindividual merchandise packages, and with the front to back dimension ofthe bottom wall corresponding to the width of the individual package.The front and side walls of the box units, however, are cut away so thata portion of the merchandise packages projects beyond the box units.This is shown particularly in Fig. 1 where the height of front walls 25and 21, is considerably less than the height of the rear walls, and sidewalls 22, 23, 30 and 3| are diagonally cut to connect the front and rearwalls.

With the box units filled as above described, and the display member l2in its extended position, the package is prepared for shipment byswinging the two box units about the hinge line until inner side walls3|] and 3| li'e adjacent each other. This will position the front andrear walls in substantially a straight line and the display portion 52of display member I2 can then be swung downwardly hinging about scores55 and 56 which lie substantially coincidental with the top edges ofrear walls 20 and 2|. With the dis play portion 52 thus folded, the boxunits are then swung about their hinge until the rear walls 2% and 2|are brought to a position adjacent each other, and with the foldeddisplay portion 52 now concealed between them. Cover member M can now beapplied to enclose the package, the method of assembling being clearfrom Fig. 2.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a somewhat modified form of blank. Under someconditions, it is desirable to have the box units complete inthemselves, rather than incorporating a part of the display member intothe bottoms of the box units as in the embodiment just described. Theblank shown in Fig. 8 is adapted to form the box unit-s in this Way, andfor this purpose front Wall bottom flap portions 40' and 4| are made ofsufiicient size to cover the entire bottoms of the respective box units.These bottom flap portions are provided at their free edges with tuckingflaps 15 and 16, which are received within the box units in contact withrear walls 20' and 2|. T slots 1'! located in rear walls 20 and 2| areprovided for receiving cooperating parts of a display member. Theremaining parts of the blank and its method of assembly are in generalsimilar to that shown and described in connection with Fig. 5.

In Fig. 9 is shown a further modification in which, as in Fig. 8, thebox units are formed independently of the display member. In theconstruction of Fig. 9, rear wall flaps l8 and 19 are provided at thelower ends of rear walls 20" and 2|". These rear wall flaps are equippedwith suitable locking means which interlock with suitable slots 8|provided on front wall flaps 40" and 4|". As in the modification shownin Fig. 8, suitable means such as T slots for attachment of the displaymembers are provided.

Fig. 10 shows a slightly modified form of display member which isadapted to be used in conjunction with box units as just described inconnection with Figs. 8 and 9. The display member shown in Fig. 10 is ingeneral similar to that shown in Fig. 4, having leg portions 5|! and 5|,a display portion 52, and scores similar to those in the embodiment inFig. 4. At the bottom of legs 59' and El are provided flaps 83 and 84.These flaps are preferably of an extent corresponding to the size of thebox unit bottoms, and completely overlying them, but are not directlyattached to the bottom flaps of the box units. Separate means areprovided for the attachment of this display member to the box units, andsuch means may conveniently take the form of cut-out projections 86formed in leg members 58 and 5|, and each comprising an arcuate cut anda score connecting the ends of the cut and allowing the cut portion tohinge thereabout. Looking means are adapted to interlock with the Tslots 11, formed in the box unit walls. By making flaps 83 and 84substantially the full size of the bottom of the box units, so that theyoverlie these bottoms when in position, the forward edges of thesebottom flaps abut against the. front walls 26 and 2'! of the box unitsand thus prevent the display member from becoming accidentallydisplaced. These bottom flaps likewise serve to somewhat reenforce thebottoms of the box units.

In Fig. 11 is shown a modified form of display member in whichadditional display space is provided. The leg portions and the bottomfia-ps of display member of Fig. 11 are shown as similar to those inFig. 4, but it will be obvious that they might equally well beconstructedas shown in Fig. 10, depending upon the type of box unit withwhich they are to be used. Surmounting these leg portions is a displaypanel 88 having inner display surfaces 89, separated by a score 9|)which serves as a hinge in a manner similar to that of score 58 in Fig.4. outwardly of panels 89 are located additional wings 9| joined toinner panels 89 at scores 92. By providing scores 92, outer displaywings 9| may be folded upon inner panels 89 and the whole enlargeddisplay area thus folded between the rear box unit walls in a mannergenerally similar to that described in connection with the otherembodiments. It will be understood that for maximum compactness the edto contain and individual display wings 89 and 9| are made of a size notexceeding the size of the rear panels of the box units. Thus additionaldisplay space is provided, while still maintaining a compactconstruction for shipment and storage.

Fig. 12 shows a modified form of cover member, which is generallysimilar to that shown in Fig. 6, and which has side members 10'separated by scores H and having adhesive coated strip 13'. In thisembodiment, however, the cover portion is open at both ends, thusproviding an economical type of cover portion which still serves to holdthe parts in compact position, and which is entirely adequate for somepurposes, as for example where an outer shipping carton is to beemployed. The operation of this construction will be entirely clear fromthe description of the operation of the embodiment first described.

While the article herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto this precise article, and that changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention which is defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A package of the character described adapted to contain and displayarticles and comprising a pair of box units arranged adjacent eachother, each box unit having front, side and rear walls, and flaps onsaid front and side walls forming a portion of the bottom of said boxunits, the front wall fiap having locking means thereon, a displaymember having a pair of spaced leg portions, one leg portion of saiddisplay member projecting into each said box unit and positioned tooverlie said rear wall, a flap on the end of each leg member, lockingmeans On each said flap adapted to interlock with the locking means onthe respective front wall'fiaps to complete the bottom of the box units,said display member also having a display portion attached to said legportions and projecting beyond the edges of said box units, and a foldin said display box aligned with the space between said leg portions toprovide for folding said display member upon relative movements of saidbox units.

2. A package of the character described adapted to contain and displayarticles and comprising a pair of box units of corresponding size andshape hingedly connected at corresponding edges and formed from a singleblank having front, side, and rear wall portions for each of said boxunits, said blank being symmetrical about a transverse center lineseparating the adjacent side portions of the two box units, said blankin its fiat condition having attaching portions ad acent its ends remotefrom said transverse center line, said package having one attachingportion secured to the inner surface of a box unit side wall, and theother of said attaching portions secured to the outer surface of a boxunit rear wall.

display articles and comprising a pair of box units formed from a singleblank having wall portions for each box unlt, a score line dividing thewall portions of one box unit from the wall portions of the other boxunit, two attaching portions located outwardly of the box unit wallportions, and score lines dividing said attaching portions from said boxunit wall portions, the first of said attaching portions being securedto said blank adjacent said first named score line, and the second ofsaid attaching portions being secured to said blank adjacent said firstattaching portion to provide hinging movements of said box unitsrelative to each other with the hinging occurring at said first namedscore line and at the scores between said attaching portions and theremainder of the blank.

4. A package of the character described adapted to contain and displayarticles and comprising a pair of box units formed from a single blanksymmetrical about a central transverse score line and having on eachside of said central score the wall portions of one box unit consistingof an inner side wall portion adjacent said central score, a front wallportion connected to said inner side wall portion by a score, an outerside wall portion connected to said front wall portion by a score, arear wall portion connected to said outer side wall portion by a score,and an attaching portion connected to said rear wall portion by a score;the attaching portion on one side of said central score line beingsecured to the inner side wall portion on the opposite side of saidcentral score line and to an area on said inner side wall portionadjacent said central score line, and the other attaching portion beingsecured to the rear wall portion on the opposite side of said centralscore line and to an area on said rear wall portion adjacent the scorebetween said rear wall portion and said first named attaching portion,to provide hinging movements of said box units relative to each otherwith the hinging occurring at said central score line and at the scoresbetween said attaching portions and said rear wall portions.

5. A display member adapted for use with a pair of box units havingfront, side, and rear walls, and flaps on said front and side wallsforming a portion of the bottom of said box units, the front wall flapshaving locking means thereon com-prising a display portion, a pair ofleg portions extending beyond said display portion, said leg portionsbeing spaced from each other by a gap and each said leg portion (each)having an area of substantial extent and being adapted to fit within oneof said box units and to overlie said rear wall portion thereofproviding a substantial area of support for said display member whenattached to said box units, a fiap on the end of each leg member, lockmeans on each said flap adapted to interlock with the locking means onthe respective front wall fiaps to complete the bottom of said boxunits, a transverse score formed in said display portion and inalignment with the gap between said leg portions, and a longitudinalscore between said leg portions and said display portion, said scoresproviding for hinging and folding movements of said display member whileattached to said box units.

6. A package of the character described adapted to contain and displayarticles and comprising a pair of box units formed from a single blank,said box units having front, side and rear walls, and being each hingedto the other at a corner line formed at the junction of two of saidwalls, and with a single thickness of material separating the interiorsof the two box units at the hinge, a display member having a pair of legportions each including a panel of substantially the same extent as awall of a corresponding box unit, said panels being separated by a slotdimensioned to receive the said single thickness of material whichseparates the box interiors at the hinge, said display member having adisplay portion extending beyond said leg portions, and a transversefold in said display portion substantially in alignment with said slot.

7. A package of the character described adapted to contain and displayarticles and comprising a single continuous blank forming the walls of apair of box units immediately adjacent each other at their correspondingrear edges and being scored to provide hinging movements of the boxunits relative to each other and with the ends of the blank securedadjacent the hinge area of the completed box units, said box units eachhaving front, side, rear and bottom walls and being open at the top forthe reception and display of merchandise, the front walls of said boxunits being of less height than the rear walls to provide an upstandingreadily viewable merchandise display area, one end of said blank beingsecured to the inner surface of a box unit side wall, the other end ofsaid blank being secured to the outer surface of a box unit rear wall, adisplay member having a pair of spaced leg portions, each said legportion including a panel of substantially the same extent as a box unitrear wall and a flap on the end of each leg portion, one leg portion ofsaid display member projecting into each said box unit through the opentop thereof with said leg portion panel positioned in overlying relationto said rear wall and with said leg portion flap positioned in adjacentcoplanar relation with said bottom wall, means for securing leg portionsto said box units, said display member also having a display portionattached to said leg portions and projecting beyond the edges of saidbox units, and a fold in said display portion aligned with the spacebetween said leg portions to provide for folding of said display memberupon relative movements of said box units.

HOWARD J FISCHER.

